Remote Desktop from a Chromebook to your Windows server

A Chromebook cannot run the built-in Windows Remote Desktop client, but it can still reach your Windows server comfortably. You have two good routes: the Android Windows App from Google Play, or Remmina inside the Chromebook's Linux environment. This guide sets up both, using the Remote Desktop port 3389, and covers the keyboard, mouse and display settings that make a session pleasant to use.

Before you start

• Your server's IP address, username and password. All three are on the service page in your VPS provider's control panel.
• A Chromebook that can install apps from Google Play, or one that supports the Linux development environment. Most current models do both. School or work Chromebooks may have either option blocked by the administrator.
• The server showing as Running in your VPS provider's control panel.

Remember that servers listen for Remote Desktop on TCP 3389. Every address you enter below ends in :3389.

Option 1: Windows App from Google Play

Microsoft's Android Remote Desktop client runs on ChromeOS like any other Android app. In Google Play it is published as Windows App; on some devices you may still see the older Remote Desktop listing. Either works for a direct connection.

1. Open the Play Store, search for Windows App by Microsoft and install it.
2. Open the app and tap +, then Add PC (the wording can differ slightly between versions).
3. In PC name, enter the address with the port:

   203.0.113.10:3389

1. Under User account, add the username and password from your VPS provider's control panel, or leave it to ask each time.
2. Save, then tap the new PC tile to connect.
3. When the certificate prompt appears, tick the option to stop asking for this PC and choose Connect. servers use a self-signed certificate, so this warning is expected on the first connection.

Option 2: Remmina in the Linux environment

Remmina is a full desktop Remote Desktop client. It runs inside ChromeOS's Linux container and gives you finer control over resolution, clipboard and shared folders.

1. Open Settings → About ChromeOS → Developers (on older versions, Settings → Advanced → Developers) and turn on the Linux development environment. Follow the prompts; it takes a few minutes.
2. Open the Terminal app and install Remmina with its RDP plugin:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install -y remmina remmina-plugin-rdp

1. Launch Remmina from the launcher (it appears in the Linux apps folder).
2. Click + to create a profile:

• Protocol: RDP - Remote Desktop Protocol
• Server: 203.0.113.10:3389
• Username and Password: from your VPS provider's control panel
• Resolution: Use client resolution, or a fixed size that fits your screen

1. Click Save and Connect, then accept the certificate.

For a deeper walk through Remmina's options, see Connect to Windows from Linux with Remmina.

Keyboard tips

Chromebook keyboards lack a few keys that Windows expects.

• Delete: press Alt + Backspace.
• Home and End: Ctrl + Alt + Up and Ctrl + Alt + Down on most Chromebooks; Search + Left/Right on many models too.
• Ctrl+Alt+Delete inside the session: press Ctrl + Alt + End if your keyboard can send End. Otherwise, open the Start menu in the session and use the power or user menu to sign out or lock, or run taskmgr to open Task Manager.
• The Search (Launcher) key acts as the Windows key in some setups and is captured by ChromeOS in others. Click the Start button with the mouse if it does not reach the server.

If characters come out wrong, check that the keyboard layout inside Windows matches your Chromebook's layout. The server uses its own setting, not ChromeOS's.

Mouse and display tips

• Scaling: on a high-resolution Chromebook screen the session can look tiny. In Windows App, look in the app's display settings for a resolution or scaling option. In Remmina, pick a fixed resolution such as 1600×900, or enable scaling from the toolbar.
• Full screen: in Windows App the session opens full screen; use the app's floating toolbar to leave it. In Remmina, use the toggle on the left toolbar.
• Touchpad: two-finger tap is a right-click in both clients. Two-finger scroll works in Remmina; in the Android app it depends on the version.
• External monitor: both clients follow the window they are in. Move the window to the larger screen before you connect for the best resolution.

Check it works

You should see the Windows sign-in or desktop within a few seconds. Open File Explorer in the session and confirm you can move the mouse and type normally.

If the connection fails before any login prompt, test the port from the Linux terminal:

sudo apt install -y netcat-openbsd
nc -vz 203.0.113.10 3389

A line that ends in succeeded! means the port is reachable and the problem is in the app settings or the login details.

Troubleshooting

• "Can't connect" straight away: the port is missing. The PC name must be IP:3389, not just the IP.
• Linux development environment option is missing: your Chromebook is managed by a school or company that has disabled it, or the model does not support it. Use Windows App from Google Play instead.
• Remmina shows a security negotiation error: edit the profile, open Advanced and set Security protocol negotiation to Automatic or TLS.
• Session is laggy on Wi-Fi: lower the colour depth and resolution in the client. Fix a slow or laggy Remote Desktop has more options.
• "The credentials did not work": copy the password again from your VPS provider's control panel and watch for spaces at the start or end.

Next steps

• Working from a phone or tablet as well: Remote Desktop tips for phones and tablets.